I am going to Henry Coe State Park Tuesday, and am undecided on the exit route. I am basically headed in to the Coit Lake/Kelly Lake/Pacheco Falls area. Going in Coyote Creek-Grizzly Gulch Trail- Rock Tower Trail- Domnio Pond -Wasno Road- and drop to Kelley Lake. Is Coit Lake- Wagon Road- Bowl Trail - Lyman Willson Ridge Trail- Hunting Hollow a good exit route? Or is the Middle Steer Ridge Trail more scenic. Alternately I could come out Cross Canyon Trail, Grapevine Trail- Anza Trail, but I have done that one twice before but is a beautiful route.

Go via Middle Steer Ridge, I don't think it's particularly close. There's a sweet poppy rock garden just south of Wilson peak, and there's some nice cypress covered oaks along the steep middle steer ridge trail. And a ridge walk is always scenic with views off to both sides.

I found the bowl/lyman wilson combo to be pretty bland, unless you love decrepit cabins.

Personally, I like the Lyman Willson Ridge trail and usually have seen lots of flowers along it in April, plus plenty of good views.

I did the original Steer Ridge trail that follows the ridge all the way down almost directly to the Hunting Hollow parking area in about 2000 and thought it was just about the steepest trail I have ever done! Apparently, there is a newer, switchbacking trail on the next ridge over? Is that Middle Steer Ridge? I would never do the original trail again.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will look into Middle Steer Trail as another alternate route.

By the way, what is the scoop on the supposed small parking area east of the bridge, by Coyote Creek trailhead that is NOT on Coe property. I have heard it is legal to park there and avoid the $6 per night parking fee. I have parked up there before but always paid the fee.

I wouldn't park at Coyote Creek at all. They tow. And if you aren't towed, evidently break-ins are frequent, per the employee we met at the trailhead last month.

Yeah, I've parked there successfully once, but I've seen tons of cars get tickets too. I usually bring a bike to kill off the road miles between Coyote Creek & Hunting Hollow. It's about a 10 min bike shuttle.

"Adventure is just bad planning." - Roald Amundsen
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A bike. Another thing to worry about! Thanks, but I will just do the 30 minute walk.

Ticket issues aside, why would a car parked at Coyote TH be any more likely to be broken into than one parked at Hunting Hollow?

It's a little more secluded, but yeah, no real reason.

Here's some pics of the poppy field south of Wilson peak. The south facing rocky soil makes for a perfect wildflower spot. The Middle Steer Ridge trail is steep, I usually go up it rather than down since I'm looking for a workout. But it's not nearly as bad as the shortcut.

WilsonPeak.PNG

PoppyField.jpg

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"Adventure is just bad planning." - Roald Amundsen
Also, I have a blog no one reads. Please do not click here.

Poppies grow there because it is an uncommon small serpentine outcrop in the park. Have a nice hike WD, the greenest conditions this late into April in many years.

As for parking at the Coyote entrance, I did that for years without issue and then sometime maybe a decade ago the park proclaimed no more and requested the county sheriff ticket parked cars. Although there had been some break ins, it was mostly at night at the Hunting Hollow lot because that is where most people park that backpack in overnight. Of course this was due to low lifes in the Coyote Valley discovering easy targets. But that supposedly ended. I phoned to the county sheriff about it and he said it was the park that made the request. Note that bridge area isn't even inside the park so I bet that is why the park coerced the county to deal with it. I suspect the real reason is someone was thinking they could make a few extra bucks forcing people to pay via the Hunting Hollow pay kiosk. Rather stupid if so because they could have requested cars have the parking tab on their windshield and then just bothered to make checks there I'd suspect they were just to lazy to do. Although I never saw cars parked at that bridge area that blocked the road or any bozos that don't understand that one ought always park fully off road pavement or not park, I suspect there were a few of those cases too and that the park had no intent to ever make a formal parking lot there that made someone that got up on the wrong side of the bed one morning to make that decision.

It sucks because it is a significant 1.5 miles from the Hunting Hollow parking lot and I could argue there is more interesting short hikes of less than 3 miles from that bridge. An extra 3 miles on a day hike is not something one will readily make a choice to accept.

Thanks everyone for the input. I did not sleep at all and woke up Tue AM with an all-out allergy attack and pounding headache, so had to take enough allergy medicine that I did not want to drive. This morning I decided that I would do my planned Henry Coe trip some other time. When I initially planned this trip someone was going with me and then they had to bail out. So the cost of going solo also played into the decision.

Just for fun I calculated the cost of a solo Henry Coe trip. Since gas price is up and my car is not very efficient, two nights/three days at Henry Coe, driving solo, would cost; $22 fees + $43 gas or $65 total. My planned route was about 28 miles, that is $2.35 per mile walked. I keep thinking of the meter on a taxi! If someone went with me (shared gas and parking fees) that would go down to $38 total. I wish State Parks would also have a senior discount (they do ONLY for day-use at Henry Coe).

Well today I felt good so I did a local hike up by Salmon Falls; 18 miles out and back, for about $10 in gas, no fees. Yesterday I did a nice 7 mile walk down the American River since I was going down to Sportsman's Wearhouse to buy my fishing license anyway; extra cost=$0. Wildflowers are blooming here too and the grass is so green. Folsom Lake is up enough to flood some trees, although not full. I decided to "power walk" the 18 miles today- averaged 3.2 miles/hr (about 1500 feet elevation gain). I never took a rest stop, just short stops for a few photos and snacked while walking. Pretty good work-out. About $0.40 per mile walked.

I am saving my $$ for higher priority trips in the Sierra later this summer.

I really DO love Henry Coe, but it is a bit pricy for those who have to drive much distance.